23. The False Dilemma

Our English word “dilemma” comes from two Greek words, which can be roughly translated as “two possibilities.” There are genuine either/or situations in life—situations, that is, in which there are two possibilities and only two possibilities open to us. And there are also situations in which there are several possibilities open to us.

I commit the fallacy of the false dilemma when, in a situation entailing several possibilities, I attempt to persuade you that there are only two. The dilemma is false because it represents a distortion of the actual state of affairs.

The fallacy seeks to create a false sense of urgency in an audience, to force them to choose between the alternatives carefully selected by the perpetrator of the fallacy. This sense of urgency is especially important to achieve if neither of the alternatives being offered is particularly attractive. Let us say I present you with the alternatives of A or B. I want you to choose A. Here is how I would argue: “A, admittedly, is not all that pleasant a choice, but the only alternative you have is B, and that is awful. Certainly you would not want that!”